6 Must-Do Action Steps for Thinking and Acting Like a Brand

From Madison Avenue to Wall Street, from the halls of academe to her own branding and leadership development company, Catherine Kaputa, author of her award-winning book, You Are a Brand!, perfected her ability to brand products, places, and even companies, including Citi. But for the past decade, Catherine has focused on helping people like you and me define and own our career identity and performance success. Here are Catherine’s six “must-do” action steps for thinking and acting like a brand:

1. Leverage the power of a first impression: The first 15 seconds and your first 15 words are the most important.

We all know the importance of networking and finding a few key mentors, but those who out-compete others also find sponsors.

2. Have three accomplishments and three stories: Don’t talk functional responsibilities; tell stories about three projects or accomplishments that demonstrate what you can do in the new job.

3. Find sponsors: We all know the importance of networking and finding a few key mentors, but those who out-compete others also find sponsors. A sponsor is a senior executive who will advocate for you and introduce you to others to help strategically build your network.

4. Pose powerfully: Studies show that certain poses project confidence and power such as leaning in when others are speaking to you while other poses brand you as a wimp.

5. Think of your resume as a narrative: A resume should tell an interesting story—not be a laundry list of everything you’ve ever done. Jettison things that are irrelevant to the plot line.

6. Level the playing field: You demonstrate confidence when you engage the interviewer with questions of your own. It immediately levels the playing field.